The Better Vagaro Alternative for Massage Therapists
Vagaro is built for hair salons and spas. Kneadly is built specifically for massage therapists — with AI SOAP notes, clinical intake forms, and client automations that Vagaro simply doesn't have.
- AI drafts your SOAP notes — Vagaro has no clinical notes
- Free plan included — Vagaro charges from day one
- 18 automations designed for massage retention
Good morning
Sarah ☀️
TODAY
4
sessions
THIS WEEK
$840
revenue
CLIENTS
62
active
Today's Schedule
Marcus T.
Deep Tissue · 60 min
Emma R.
Swedish · 90 min
Priya S.
Hot Stone · 60 min
AI SOAP notes — Vagaro doesn't have this
Kneadly drafts your clinical SOAP notes with AI after every session. Vagaro has no clinical documentation tools at all.
Built for massage, not salons
Vagaro is designed for hair salons and spas. Kneadly is designed from the ground up for massage therapy practices.
Free plan included — Vagaro starts at $30+/mo
Kneadly has a generous free plan for solo therapists. Vagaro charges every user from day one with no free tier.
Kneadly vs. Vagaro — Side by Side
Here's what changes when you switch from Vagaro to a platform built specifically for massage therapy.
Vagaro
- Built for salons and spas — massage is an afterthought
- No clinical SOAP notes or documentation tools
- No AI features for documentation or communication
- Basic automations — limited for massage retention
- Starts at $30+/mo — no free plan
- Complex interface with features you won't use
Kneadly
- Built from the ground up for massage therapists
- AI drafts your complete SOAP notes after every session
- 18 automation types designed for massage retention
- Clinical intake forms, treatment history, and client hub
- Free plan included — upgrade only when you're ready
- Focused interface with only what massage therapists need
Everything Vagaro misses — built for massage
Kneadly replaces Vagaro with a focused, massage-specific platform that handles every part of your practice.
AI SOAP Note Drafting
Complete clinical SOAP notes drafted automatically after each session. Vagaro has no equivalent feature.
Online Booking
A clean, professional booking page your clients can access any time. Simpler and faster to set up than Vagaro.
Client Retention Automations
18 automation types for rebooking, lapsed clients, birthdays, reviews, and more. Vagaro offers only basic automations.
Health Intake Forms
Digital intake forms that collect contraindications and preferences before a client's first visit — automatically filed to their profile.
Multi-Therapist Team Support
Add therapists to your practice, manage their schedules, and track team performance — with per-therapist booking rules.
Deep Client Profiles
Full treatment history, sticky notes, preferences, and session timeline for every client — everything Vagaro's client cards miss.
Kneadly vs. Vagaro vs. the Alternatives
See how Kneadly stacks up against Vagaro and other popular booking tools — especially for features that matter to massage therapists.
| Feature | ★ RecommendedKneadly | Vagaro | Mindbody | Jane App | Square |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Built for massage therapistsKey differentiator | Partial | ||||
| AI SOAP note draftingKey differentiator | |||||
| Health intake forms | |||||
| Online client booking | |||||
| Client retention automations | Basic | Basic | |||
| Memberships & packages | |||||
| Free plan includedKey differentiator | |||||
| Starting price | Free | $30+/mo | $129+/mo | $54+/mo | Free* |
* Pricing based on publicly available information. Last reviewed April 2025.
Built around how you actually work
“I used to spend 30 minutes after each session catching up on notes. Now Kneadly drafts them and I just approve. Game changer.”
Sarah M.
Licensed Massage Therapist, Austin TX
“My clients love that they can book online anytime. I love that I stopped losing bookings to voicemail.”
Rachel T.
Solo Practitioner, Portland OR
“Finally a tool that gets what a massage practice actually needs. Not a salon tool with 'massage' bolted on.”
James K.
Owner, 3-Therapist Practice, Denver CO
Ready to switch from Vagaro?
Try Kneadly free — no credit card required. Import your data and be up and running in minutes.
Free plan included. No credit card required.